I got my first plane a few months back (record no4) and i like it, but id like to have a block plane too but i didnt know what they were for. Great video
I recently bought a cheap block plane at a car boot sale. Once the lateral adjusting set I simply tap the back or front on the workbench to adjust the depth. I have it razor sharp and it's amazing how much it can do. Fantastic for end grain! Love this tool!
Outstanding video. I had always thought a block plane was for touch up and small detail work. I never though about end grain cutting. I am learning so much from your videos, really enjoying watching them. thank you for sharing your knowledge.
just picked up a 103 unknown maker block plane going to fix it up. cute little thing and perfect for one hand edge beveling like you mentioned. recently restored a Sargent409 and Stanley 31, you can spend a ton on new high quality tools or fix up old garage sale junkers and make fantastic cuts. i am new to wood working so for me fixing up the old stuff helps me learn a lot along the way by research into the subject (how i found this video) and dismantlement the item and handling each part. but i also have a passion for fixing things so goes hand in hand. :) great video thanks for the information.
thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I just purchased my very first block plane (which also happens to be my very first proper hand-tool). and this video was just what I was looking for :-))) thank you
Really good video nicely explained.Ive just bought a cheap Harris block plane ,no instructions on how to adjust the blade so your hammer tip was what I needed.Should have watched your video before I bought this cheapy .Will have to buy a number 4 ,thanks for the info.
Thank for sharing some good information I have a couple of planes that I don’t use because I don’t know how to use them properly Your video def helped shed light on using them thanks again !!
I really enjoy your videos. I am a beginner and find you have really good info that gives all the necessary info on an understandable manner for a beginner. Cheers.
My favorite block plane is the Ulta tiny 12-101. It's perfect for smaller workpieces, and it's always within arms reach. Plus that little 1" wide iron is easy to bring up to a razor edge.
Thanks a lot for the good information and superb video! I know my way around quite a few of the older tools, but I never used the block plane much before - usually a knife took care of chamfering or end grain trimming as the things I made were small. When I found my late fathers old block plane the other day I decided to use it for chamfering on some rough garden chairs that I am making for my sister in law. The block plane is very similar to the black one you have in this video, but has no knob in the front and the sides are not parallell but curved: ( ). The condition of the plane was poor - the adjustment wheel (if it can be called that - maybe tightening wheel is more correct) was missing and the screw was worn so the blade was not being secured correctly. Also the person that used it last had the blade set in bevel down. I found that this had to be wrong, so I did a search on UA-cam to educate myself on the do's and don'ts of block planes. They say that even a blind hen can sometimes find grain and that was true for me this time as I found all the info I needed in the first video I watched. My advantage over the hen is that I knew from watching a lot of your videos that I wouldn't need to look any further! ;-) Keep safe and keep up the good work!
Another really good video ... you have a knack of keeping the discussion down to earth that both the experienced and novice can take something away from it. Well done .... cheers
thanks for everything, I just signed up with a I'm on a small ss pention but I gave what I could. I love your clear explaintions that I don't get from others. so keep it up and thanks again.
I can not Express how much of an encouragement this is. thanks so much. I will put your sticker in the mail. Thanks so much. If there is ever anything I can do for you just let me know. I might make a Video out of it.
Thank you for the excellent videos. I was amused however that after explaining that block planes are for one handed use, you proceeded to use two hands in your demonstrations. : )
Thank you so much for explaining block planes! I'm new to planes and trying to learn as I go; your explanation of use and adjustments made so much sense. Thanks for the great video content!
It’s all wrong information. If you buy 1 and it breaks or goes blunt, you can’t make any money until you fix it. Once you realise you need multiple items, all this vid is wrong information. You don’t dismiss fine details, you must explore them. You would just chamfer with the smoothing plane or the jointer plane and never bother to reach for another plane to complete the job.
I have Kunz copy of the Stanley 100 Squirrel tail plane, it's very hard to adjust the blade laterally! Incidentally, I noticed your hammer. I have a similar handle on my ball pein, and the end it is a very good striking tool for a small block plane like this. To adjust the iron I tap on the side of it to make it level with the sole. And then its a matter of hitting the bottom of the plane, the sole, or the iron itself to set depth of cut. Takes practice! Holding it by the tail and striking the button shape for the finger retracts the iron.
Great little video! I just bought, (It arrived today from eBay UK), an inexpensive little Irwin Record No. 9 1/2. exactly for the purposes you mentioned, of Chamfering a long edge and cleaning up the end grain on my small projects. I only own one other Plane it's a Footprint No. 4 Bench Plane I recently restored to as new condition, (as it was my father-in-laws who passed away two years ago).
I love my block plane but only for the uses that you mentioned. Especially for the bottom of a leg for a table or stool to chamfer the edges to prevent any blow out from the legs being moved. Thank you for your information and keep up the great work
My only block plane is a Pre WWII Stanley 9 1/2.. I'll never need another.. Thanks Great Grandpa.. I'll take good care of it & pass it on to you're Great Great Grandson..
Thanks for another great video James! I didn't know about the need to add both angles to get a total. Makes perfect sense! I have two block planes and use them as you describe.
one of the tools I want to make is a low Angle Bevel down Plane with a final angle of 30 degrees. hopefully some time!
8 років тому+17
Thank you very much for these explanations and this one in particular : low angle is good for endgrain and high angle is good for limiting tear out. I've been wondering for a long time what was the difference between these 2 sort of planes and you just answered my question :-)
It’s all about learning to set the screw just tight enough that very gentle taps will advance the iron slowly and evenly. Too loose or too tight, and you loss all your control. And you need to tighten it down before testing it, of course, and then loosen it to give another tap, then retighten, test, etc.
With a high-angle block plane (20 degree basic iron angle), you can use bevel down IF YOUR ENTIRE SHARPENING BEVEL IS LESS THAN 20 DEGREES (actually, best if at least 2 or 3 degrees less than 20). Again, I'm talking about the original sharpening bevel, not a finishing micro-bevel -- the entire bevel must be less than the angle of the plane iron. Otherwise, the sharpened edge will NOT meet the wood, and your plane-iron is now a sled. In this case, you would want only one, continuous bevel, since a micro-bevel would only contribute further to the sled-effect. Strange to say, but if you really did want or need a micro-bevel, it would have to be on the FLAT side of the edge, not the bevel-side (...draw a diagram on paper, it will make more sense). And consider how much more time it will take you to achieve a full initial bevel of 18 degrees, and how much steel you will have to take off the iron. Mr Wright is correct, if you need to use a block plane bevel down, it is almost surely the wrong tool for the job.
Hi James, I know this is an older video but it was very helpful, As I mentioned to you before I’m going to a woodworking tool swap meet in the morning hoping to be able to come home with some hand planes. My hope is to come home with a #4, a block plane and perhaps a router plane depending on the costs. I’m on a very limited budget. Thanks so much for sharing all your knowledge.
Wood By Wright I've got a block plane pretty similar to the black one of thd far right of the video. It's an older stanley but for SOME REASON the cap needs to be hammered(rubber mallet used!) to get in or out of the slot with the cross bar. Any thoughts on how to fix that?
Thanks for the information. I have about 20 of these now trying to fix and figure out how they work. I also have around 15 mini plans. Some call them Luther planes. I hope I can figure out how to set up some of them one day.
@@WoodByWright I need to get them set up and to a good home. I figured I should only need 2 or 3 of the block planes. All the Luther planes will probably go to waste on my shelves.
I was about to throw away a block plane I have.. I didn't understand the use until I watched your video. Thank you for taking the time for the explanation. I think I still need to work on understanding how low I should hammer the blade down.
that is the choclate chip plane. LOL but for reality that is the reason Stanley made their Low angle Jack. Traditionally the only reason for it was smoothing the ends of logs and the top of butcher blocks.
I only hand one hand to work with. A Miller's Falls, No. 57, was my first purchase. It arrived in used shape, I had to reshape the iron by hand, lol. I was hoping to use is as my only plane for woodworking, but there is a problem. It seems I may have set too low of an angle with the bevel as the plane usually digs into the surface and stops instead of traveling thru the cut. Also it leave channels or deep grooves along the stroke of travel. I believe I will need to round off the corners of the iron as well as adding a secondary bevel at a higher angle. Apparently the iron was extended too far out from the bevel tool when I reshaped it. The bevel too is a whole other topic, as I had to repair it right out of the box. Anyway, I just ordered a Crescent No. 9 from WA. Thinking it might be a better choice for board work, and once finished again, the block plane will be my go too edger. What do you think? Thanks in advance for your consideration.
I found an older Stanley block plane in an old house we had not sure how old but not REALLY old but was in an brown cardboard box with just Stanley and size printed on the box, course i was young and stupid and didn’t keep the box...but love that lil block plane now
After posting that I wanted to see if I could narrow down with one...Best I can come up with is a #220 from the 60’s or 70’s at any rate that lil plane and your videos has gotten me into not only wood work but finding older tools, the elegance of them is just sexy
Having had a few vintage block planes, they are fun to use. I just picked up a Wood River LA block plane and after some blade prep its spoiling me. I didn't care for the new production Stanley regular angle block plane because it didn't fit my hand... you were correct, its just better to use a No 3 or 4 bench plane in that case. Now I'm looking for edges to chamfer... where is that darn cat? Here kitty kitty.
You forgot the most important use of a hand plane - mounting your plane collection on a really nice platform to show off to all your friends what a great woodworker you are. I just bought a Lie Nielsen #4 smoothing plane in the manganese-bronze finish and I am beginning to think this was a mistake. The plane is so beautiful, like jewelry, that I really hate to use it.
Hi! One thing I find different on the no 60 1/2 low angle block plane compared with my other no 4 and no 5 is for the depth adjustment I have to slightly loosen the lever cap, otherwise I can feel heavy resistance from the adjustment screw grinding in the body hole. I got mine new, with manual printed poorly, translated with google, probably made far east.
Wood By Wright thanks man, youre one of the down to earth youtubers who speaks to their fans and that makes you a really great youtuber james. thanks dude. oh and james. see someone please. that white oak addiction cannot be healthy xD
Garage sales, Estate sales, antique stores, re tools. even on craigslist from time to time. I rarely pay more than $10 for a #4 or #5 and I won't pay more than $5 for a block plane.but it depends on where you are at. if you are on the west coast they are harder to find. but some places on the east coast are even cheaper.
I have several videos on sharpening all different types of planes and chisels. I even have a few live videos where I go through it in detail in real time.
Great video and really explained well...but listen up sandals and socks......lose either-..or-.. but Never-Ever.. wear them together unless your living in the "villages" with the other seniors double parking your golf cart. Great work on your videos man!
Have you ever seen or heard of a bevel shooting board? I've only ever seen ones for miters. I was hoping to use a plane to clean up bevel cuts for a tight fit on a "waterfall" table and thought it might be a neat jig!
thanks Randy! yes, they are commonly known as donkey ears. that is on my long list of things to make. I will have to come up with some project to make one for. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for your suggestions on how to adjust the basic plane with the tap of a hammer. Just got a block plane to finish trimming some windows. I also noticed that when using the plane you seem to be holding it at a slight angle to the wood. Does that help you get a smoother cut? I've tried going straight on and it seems to get caught frequently that way.
turning it on an angle lowers the effective cutting angle and creates more of a slicing cut. so it makes it a bit easier to push but it can also increase the chance of tear otu on difficult woods.
Just wanted to see if anyone here had the same idea as me... I might try this one one of my spare no. 9.5 blades, but has anyone ever tried making an 80-90° bevel for their block plane blades? I saw some of these low angle jack planes with 90° scraper blades, and I was wondering if the same thing can be accomplished for a block plane? Low angle is probably easier, but I was wondering if an 80° bevel blade for a standard 20° bed block plane would work? It would be wonderful to be able to turn a block plane into a scraper with a simple change of a blade!
You can modify that to work for one of the block planes The problem is with a really high angle like that you need a lot more force on it. And with a small item like a block plane you're really only using the middle of your palm to push. And that can be a lot of force needed in that one small area. With a big jack plane you have both the tote and knob and you can get your whole body into it a lot easier. It's not to say it wouldn't work it would just be a good bit more work than a simple card scraper.
nice, and mine always chokes up, there is about a half a millimeter of free space in the mouth with the blade in place. pretty useless, I cant get rid of shavings. --
if you are asking about smoothing the dovetails that stick past the edge I normally use my #4 smoothing plane. The block plane is a bit too small for that for me. I use this plane more then anything. ua-cam.com/video/iIBPj02UuNI/v-deo.html
Just came across your video after buying my first Stanley 60 1/2. I'm struggling with the adjustments and I can't find good resources describing other than yours. Out of the box, the blade seemed to be angled to the left and indeed, when I close the mouth, the gap is tighter on the right than on the left. My rear nob is extending the blade in and out but I cant seem to get it to move laterally back to the right. Help?
if yours had a lateral lever sticking out the back then you can use that to move the iron side to side. but if it does not then you use a mallet to tap the iron to the side to do lateral adjustment.
As always thanx for the video QUESTION; I have a Stanley no 9 1/2 block plane that has a small chip on the backside of the mouth, would it b ok to file the opening even to square it off or is it better to leave it alone ???
+Steve Collins they are all older. But all three are still made today. You can still find the simple plane and the low angle version at most big box stores.
most of the new ones the steel will not last as long but not bad. but on a block plane there in not much that can go wrong. I would feel just at home with a new one or one of these older ones the older ones I can just find for $5 or less ar garage sales and I like to restore them otherwise I could pick up the same model at the big box store and be just as happy.
Wood By Wright phew, I bought a new one to dress up some rough cut wood. It was work but it did what I needed in a rush. I needed to make an urn box basically overnight and I bought a new Stanley block plane. I definitely need a different plane but I got it done. Thanks
Thank you for a wonderful explanation of block planes. I just need to get some validation from you- would a 9.5 block plane work well with dovetails? I just purchased a Stanley 9.5 on eBay for under $30; looks to be in great condition. Do you think that plane will serve me well as a beginner dovetail maker? My 4.5 plane beat up the last drawers dovetails I made. Thanks for any advice you may have! Best, Sonny
If you are talking about cleaning up the dovetails after they go together then it will do ok, my go to plane for that is #4 that is setup extreamyl tight. Close mouth, tight chipbreaker, and beyond sharp blade. The lower angle of the 9.5 will make it easer to push. Just make sure the mouth is tight.
Sonny Pittman if you want new there's nothing under $150 that I would recommend. But picking up an old Stanley at an antique store and restoring it can be done for under 20 bucks
So I just bought my first block planer at Lowe's. Really have no idea how to use it, and even less now that I have bought and looked at it. I bought it to square up cuts on edges, changed and take out any waros that would affect joinery. Nothing terribly ornate. So far I've tried adjusting it different ways, and I'm sure I'm just not getting something but it doesn't cut anything in any position. There's so many dials etc, I'm more confused than ever and will probably just return it and keep using lots and lots and lots of sandpaper. Any suggestions?
Feel free to send me an email and I'd be glad to talk it through with you and your particular model. But that being said if you got it from the big box store there's probably about a 70% chance that it's just a trash plane. there are not many plans sold there that are worth what you pay. but feel free to send me a message and I'd be glad to bounce it back and forth. I don't see replies here on UA-cam as too many come in I can't always keep track of them.
James: Have you discovered a way to plane at an exact angle? (I cannot find anything on the internet. Searching for 'angle' only gives you suggestions on the bevel angle) I am building something that has two different angles at the joint and need to plane to those angles. Sliding bevel gauge? Pencil lines (won't really work because the wood is so thin) Some blocks under the plane to lift up one edge? I am really baffled. Thanks.
If you need it on the endgrain of a piece with the angle across on the narrow edges (such as for inlay or a picture frame): 1st. Figure out the angle(s) you need. 2nd. use a sliding bevel and/or protractor to mark the angle on the straight edge of a wide piece of board for the base (you can use the factory edge of a piece of plywood or mdf for this). 3rd. cut a relatively narrow board (2x2, 2x4, etc) slightly shorter than the width you need, and glue it to match the angle. You can now butt other boards up to this and shoot them. If you need to make it on the endgrain of a piece with the angle across the wide edges (such as using miter joints to hold a box together) it's a bit more complicated: 1st. Figure out the angle(s) you need, and use the prior instructions to make shooting board to that angle 2nd. find the dimensions for right triangle that makes this angle and is large enough to support the size of the panel you're doing, and make a template for it out of cardstock (or print one out). 3rd. mark this onto some mdf or plywood, it's easiest to use a factory corner or at least 1 factory edge 4rth cut just outside the marked line(s) 5th. shoot this angle on the angled shooting board 6th. repeat this for a 2nd (or more if the edge is very long) triangle 7th. Glue the triangles edge-down to a dead flat piece of plywood or MDF, square to the factory edge and parallel to each other, and with the angle you want to produce touching or very slightly overhanging the edge You can screw these in from the bottom if you want them to be a bit stronger once the glue is dried. You now have a big jig to shoot the angle that is somewhat similar to a handplane's frog.
Another great video my friend... I do have a 12" thickness planer but what hand plane would be best to use on an end grain cutting board? As I'm actually going to be doing some in the near future... Cheers...
I actually just finished shooting a video on making an end grain cutting board. I did it with a standard #4. it was hard to push and quickly dulled but it worked. If I had my hands on a Low angle Jack plane with a 25-degree blade I would have used that.
Great information. I need to shave a few doors due to new carpeting installed and do not feel comfortable using a circular saw and think I can do it using a block plane. I need to shave less than 1/2 inch. Do you recommend one model plan over another for this purpose?
+Effie Georgountzos not really for a block plane unless you want to spend around $100. Everything below that is about the same. But to take off that much you are probably better off with a #4. 1/2" is a lot of wood to remove with a block plane.
I know I'm kind of late to the party here, but I'd probably try to remove the majority of waste wood on the door with a hand saw, then final shaping and smoothing with plane.
I have a #5 smooth bottom Jack plane that I restored. My problem is, I can't get the blade to come thru the bottom so it will cut. Any ideas? I keep thinking I have the wrong size blade.
sounds like the wrong sized chip breaker. the chip breaker on top of the blade is what determines how far the iron moves. the yoke lever sticks through the iron and connects with he rectangular slot on the chip breaker.
A #4 or a #5 will do you good. if you are getting it more for something then a #4 is better, if you are going to be doing more flattening than a #5 will treat you the best.
Dude your awesome. Just picked up a Winchester 3205 hand plane. It is actually a Sargent 409 rebranded. It was made after WWI and you can tell the quality is better. I am interested in transitional planes, mainly a joiner plane. What is your experience and opinion. A Stanley #7 with the corrugated bottom would do but a #33 Stanley is far more interesting to me. Is wood on wood a better feel or is that user preference?
for the user experience, it completely depends on taste. most people like the feel of a wood sole, but some people prefer the heft and lower center of gravity on a metal plane. so it is completely up to taste. I personally, prefer the wooden sole but I use metal planes as that is what most people have available.
that is complexly up to you. mine are all ground at about 25. I do not mess with eh micro. just an extra step that is not needed. if you ask 10 woodworkers you will get 11 answers.
I have a whole nother video on that where I show several different types of clock plans and how to set them up. I believe the video is called all about block planes.
I just bought a cheap block plane from Wickes to plane an interior door.. What a waste of a tenner....with every stroke forward I have to knock the blade forward again..
Thanks. Appreciate that you had no "music" thumping in the background. Great explantion!
Thanks. My pleasure
Thank you. A very thorough and understandable explanation of the set up and uses of the block plane. You are a good teacher - from a teacher.
Thank you for making this video 👍
I got my first plane a few months back (record no4) and i like it, but id like to have a block plane too but i didnt know what they were for. Great video
Very, very good and helpful video - thank you.
I recently bought a cheap block plane at a car boot sale. Once the lateral adjusting set I simply tap the back or front on the workbench to adjust the depth. I have it razor sharp and it's amazing how much it can do. Fantastic for end grain! Love this tool!
Sounds like a fun one.
Wonderful, clear & comprehensive "mentoring", Mr. Wright! Thank you. It IS very helpful indeed.
Thanks! Glad I could help!
Outstanding video. I had always thought a block plane was for touch up and small detail work. I never though about end grain cutting. I am learning so much from your videos, really enjoying watching them. thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks! that means a lot. I am just loving putting these together.
Thank you for the video. Good explanation of what a block plane is.
just picked up a 103 unknown maker block plane going to fix it up. cute little thing and perfect for one hand edge beveling like you mentioned. recently restored a Sargent409 and Stanley 31, you can spend a ton on new high quality tools or fix up old garage sale junkers and make fantastic cuts. i am new to wood working so for me fixing up the old stuff helps me learn a lot along the way by research into the subject (how i found this video) and dismantlement the item and handling each part. but i also have a passion for fixing things so goes hand in hand. :) great video thanks for the information.
I could not agree more. 95% my tools are restored and I love having a tool that has some history behind it. Makes it that much more enjoyable.
thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I just purchased my very first block plane (which also happens to be my very first proper hand-tool). and this video was just what I was looking for :-))) thank you
fantastic Felix. let me know if you have any questions!
Really good video nicely explained.Ive just bought a cheap Harris
block plane ,no instructions on how to adjust the blade so your hammer tip was what I needed.Should have watched your video before I bought this cheapy .Will have to buy a number 4 ,thanks for the info.
Thank for sharing some good information
I have a couple of planes that I don’t use because I don’t know how to use them properly
Your video def helped shed light on using them thanks again !!
my pleasure. glad I could help
I really enjoy your videos. I am a beginner and find you have really good info that gives all the necessary info on an understandable manner for a beginner. Cheers.
thanks. I will try to keep it coming. if you ever have questions or want to see something let me know.
Great video; thanks for sharing this!
I learned so much from this one! I will view my block plane with new, more knowledgeable eyes now. Great presentation, James.
Thanks! that means a lot! It was a fun video to put together.
My favorite block plane is the Ulta tiny 12-101. It's perfect for smaller workpieces, and it's always within arms reach. Plus that little 1" wide iron is easy to bring up to a razor edge.
Thanks a lot for the good information and superb video!
I know my way around quite a few of the older tools, but I never used the block plane much before - usually a knife took care of chamfering or end grain trimming as the things I made were small. When I found my late fathers old block plane the other day I decided to use it for chamfering on some rough garden chairs that I am making for my sister in law. The block plane is very similar to the black one you have in this video, but has no knob in the front and the sides are not parallell but curved: ( ).
The condition of the plane was poor - the adjustment wheel (if it can be called that - maybe tightening wheel is more correct) was missing and the screw was worn so the blade was not being secured correctly. Also the person that used it last had the blade set in bevel down. I found that this had to be wrong, so I did a search on UA-cam to educate myself on the do's and don'ts of block planes. They say that even a blind hen can sometimes find grain and that was true for me this time as I found all the info I needed in the first video I watched. My advantage over the hen is that I knew from watching a lot of your videos that I wouldn't need to look any further! ;-) Keep safe and keep up the good work!
Very helpful information. Thank you.
Another really good video ... you have a knack of keeping the discussion down to earth that both the experienced and novice can take something away from it. Well done .... cheers
thanks Dave. that means a lot!
thanks for everything, I just signed up with a I'm on a small ss pention but I gave what I could. I love your clear explaintions that I don't get from others. so keep it up and thanks again.
I can not Express how much of an encouragement this is. thanks so much. I will put your sticker in the mail. Thanks so much. If there is ever anything I can do for you just let me know. I might make a Video out of it.
My high school shop teacher taught us to always lay a plane on its side so as not to dull the blade. Mr. Maebe, great guy.
Yup a lot of shop teachers thought that.
Thank you for the excellent videos. I was amused however that after explaining that block planes are for one handed use, you proceeded to use two hands in your demonstrations. : )
Love the blue Stanleys
Thank you so much for explaining block planes! I'm new to planes and trying to learn as I go; your explanation of use and adjustments made so much sense. Thanks for the great video content!
+John Lovelace my pleasure. Thanks for watching.
It’s all wrong information.
If you buy 1 and it breaks or goes blunt, you can’t make any money until you fix it.
Once you realise you need multiple items, all this vid is wrong information.
You don’t dismiss fine details, you must explore them.
You would just chamfer with the smoothing plane or the jointer plane and never bother to reach for another plane to complete the job.
I have Kunz copy of the Stanley 100 Squirrel tail plane, it's very hard to adjust the blade laterally! Incidentally, I noticed your hammer. I have a similar handle on my ball pein, and the end it is a very good striking tool for a small block plane like this. To adjust the iron I tap on the side of it to make it level with the sole. And then its a matter of hitting the bottom of the plane, the sole, or the iron itself to set depth of cut. Takes practice! Holding it by the tail and striking the button shape for the finger retracts the iron.
Great little video! I just bought, (It arrived today from eBay UK), an inexpensive little Irwin Record No. 9 1/2. exactly for the purposes you mentioned, of Chamfering a long edge and cleaning up the end grain on my small projects. I only own one other Plane it's a Footprint No. 4 Bench Plane I recently restored to as new condition, (as it was my father-in-laws who passed away two years ago).
Sweet. Sounds like fun!
I love my block plane but only for the uses that you mentioned. Especially for the bottom of a leg for a table or stool to chamfer the edges to prevent any blow out from the legs being moved. Thank you for your information and keep up the great work
Thanks. they do have uses that just make them easy to handle.
Fantastic video!! THANK YOU!!
My only block plane is a Pre WWII Stanley 9 1/2.. I'll never need another.. Thanks Great Grandpa.. I'll take good care of it & pass it on to you're Great Great Grandson..
fantastic! I love it when a good tool can be passed down!
Thanks!
Thanks for another great video James! I didn't know about the need to add both angles to get a total. Makes perfect sense! I have two block planes and use them as you describe.
one of the tools I want to make is a low Angle Bevel down Plane with a final angle of 30 degrees. hopefully some time!
Thank you very much for these explanations and this one in particular : low angle is good for endgrain and high angle is good for limiting tear out. I've been wondering for a long time what was the difference between these 2 sort of planes and you just answered my question :-)
Thanks! I am glad I could help!
It’s all about learning to set the screw just tight enough that very gentle taps will advance the iron slowly and evenly. Too loose or too tight, and you loss all your control. And you need to tighten it down before testing it, of course, and then loosen it to give another tap, then retighten, test, etc.
Really good basic info. I never thought to use a block plane with the "bevel down".
+EdK705 it is not often but there are a few that are ment to do that.
With a high-angle block plane (20 degree basic iron angle), you can use bevel down IF YOUR ENTIRE SHARPENING BEVEL IS LESS THAN 20 DEGREES (actually, best if at least 2 or 3 degrees less than 20). Again, I'm talking about the original sharpening bevel, not a finishing micro-bevel -- the entire bevel must be less than the angle of the plane iron. Otherwise, the sharpened edge will NOT meet the wood, and your plane-iron is now a sled. In this case, you would want only one, continuous bevel, since a micro-bevel would only contribute further to the sled-effect. Strange to say, but if you really did want or need a micro-bevel, it would have to be on the FLAT side of the edge, not the bevel-side (...draw a diagram on paper, it will make more sense). And consider how much more time it will take you to achieve a full initial bevel of 18 degrees, and how much steel you will have to take off the iron. Mr Wright is correct, if you need to use a block plane bevel down, it is almost surely the wrong tool for the job.
Good video James. Those are useful buggers. In FWW #188 Brian Boggs showed how to turn one into a scraper plane. Thanks buddy.
Fun. that is one article I will have to look up!
very informative - thank you.
Awesome info. Thanks my dude
Great video as usual. I'm always learning something new here! This is why I love the channel.
Thanks Man! Glad I could be of service!
Hi James, I know this is an older video but it was very helpful, As I mentioned to you before I’m going to a woodworking tool swap meet in the morning hoping to be able to come home with some hand planes. My hope is to come home with a #4, a block plane and perhaps a router plane depending on the costs. I’m on a very limited budget. Thanks so much for sharing all your knowledge.
thanks man! Good luck. I am looking forward to seeing your Haull!
thanks m8 great video you help me out there
The issue of bevels, was very helpful to me. Thanks
Glad I could Help Thanks for the encuragement.
Very nice and instructive! thanks :D
+Cactus! workshop thanks man! Thanks for keeping me on my feet!
Really enjoyed your video on 'block planes'. Am now a subscriber and looking forward to seeing more of your tutorials. Many Thanks from the U.K :-)
Thanks Emma! if you ever have any questions or ideas for videos feel free to ask any time.
Wood By Wright I've got a block plane pretty similar to the black one of thd far right of the video. It's an older stanley but for SOME REASON the cap needs to be hammered(rubber mallet used!) to get in or out of the slot with the cross bar. Any thoughts on how to fix that?
Thanks for the information. I have about 20 of these now trying to fix and figure out how they work. I also have around 15 mini plans. Some call them Luther planes. I hope I can figure out how to set up some of them one day.
thanks Robert. Those small planes can be a ton of fun when they are setup right.
@@WoodByWright I need to get them set up and to a good home. I figured I should only need 2 or 3 of the block planes. All the Luther planes will probably go to waste on my shelves.
Many thank
I was about to throw away a block plane I have.. I didn't understand the use until I watched your video. Thank you for taking the time for the explanation.
I think I still need to work on understanding how low I should hammer the blade down.
The blade should be sticking out about 1/100 or less.
Very helpful info. Still need to know about which plane to use on cookies thou.
that is the choclate chip plane. LOL but for reality that is the reason Stanley made their Low angle Jack. Traditionally the only reason for it was smoothing the ends of logs and the top of butcher blocks.
So much good info, I love your videos!
Thanks Jake. My pleasure.
I only hand one hand to work with. A Miller's Falls, No. 57, was my first purchase. It arrived in used shape, I had to reshape the iron by hand, lol. I was hoping to use is as my only plane for woodworking, but there is a problem. It seems I may have set too low of an angle with the bevel as the plane usually digs into the surface and stops instead of traveling thru the cut. Also it leave channels or deep grooves along the stroke of travel. I believe I will need to round off the corners of the iron as well as adding a secondary bevel at a higher angle. Apparently the iron was extended too far out from the bevel tool when I reshaped it. The bevel too is a whole other topic, as I had to repair it right out of the box. Anyway, I just ordered a Crescent No. 9 from WA. Thinking it might be a better choice for board work, and once finished again, the block plane will be my go too edger. What do you think? Thanks in advance for your consideration.
I found an older Stanley block plane in an old house we had not sure how old but not REALLY old but was in an brown cardboard box with just Stanley and size printed on the box, course i was young and stupid and didn’t keep the box...but love that lil block plane now
After posting that I wanted to see if I could narrow down with one...Best I can come up with is a #220 from the 60’s or 70’s at any rate that lil plane and your videos has gotten me into not only wood work but finding older tools, the elegance of them is just sexy
that is a nice block plane. what a great way to get into he sport!
Ya, of course when my wife finds out i'm on ebay bidding on a stanley 45 combo plane I may never be seen again lol
LOL good luck!
Beautiful little planes. Like!
thank you.
I use my block plane all the time
It sits unobtrusively in my tool box
It's a fantastic tool
Having had a few vintage block planes, they are fun to use. I just picked up a Wood River LA block plane and after some blade prep its spoiling me. I didn't care for the new production Stanley regular angle block plane because it didn't fit my hand... you were correct, its just better to use a No 3 or 4 bench plane in that case.
Now I'm looking for edges to chamfer... where is that darn cat? Here kitty kitty.
LOL right on!
You forgot the most important use of a hand plane - mounting your plane collection on a really nice platform to show off to all your friends what a great woodworker you are. I just bought a Lie Nielsen #4 smoothing plane in the manganese-bronze finish and I am beginning to think this was a mistake. The plane is so beautiful, like jewelry, that I really hate to use it.
LOL that video will be in the future! I do love my manganese-bronze planes!
dojmike .
I have really liked it but I need a video on margin flat plane
Hi! One thing I find different on the no 60 1/2 low angle block plane compared with my other no 4 and no 5 is for the depth adjustment I have to slightly loosen the lever cap, otherwise I can feel heavy resistance from the adjustment screw grinding in the body hole.
I got mine new, with manual printed poorly, translated with google, probably made far east.
i have been trying to get hold of an old stanley 9 1/2 or 60 1/2 and ill hopefully find one when i next go to my local antique shop
they are such nice tools once you can find one!
Wood By Wright what angles do you sharpen yours at james? :)
+John Thackray bevel up I sharpen at 25* bevel down I sharpen at 30*
Wood By Wright thanks man, youre one of the down to earth youtubers who speaks to their fans and that makes you a really great youtuber james. thanks dude. oh and james. see someone please. that white oak addiction cannot be healthy xD
Nice video! Thanks!!
thanks Diogo
good stuff
+Anthony Mcdonagh thanks.
Nice video.
+ALFREDO ROLDAN MUÑOZ thanks Alfredo!
Nice and thanks!!
thanks Allan!
Excellent... Many thanks...
+Adam Quincey same to you. Thanks for watching!
+Adam Quincey same to you. Thanks for watching!
I absolutely love my block plane. It's a rabbit block plane. I'm saving up to get the low angle and a skew ;-)
Nice. I have yet to come across an old Rabbit block that is in my price range. but I rarely ever spend over $10 on a plane.
Wood By Wright where do you buy planes for 10$?
Garage sales, Estate sales, antique stores, re tools. even on craigslist from time to time. I rarely pay more than $10 for a #4 or #5 and I won't pay more than $5 for a block plane.but it depends on where you are at. if you are on the west coast they are harder to find. but some places on the east coast are even cheaper.
Now I know. Do you have a video on sharpening?
I have several videos on sharpening all different types of planes and chisels. I even have a few live videos where I go through it in detail in real time.
Great video and really explained well...but listen up sandals and socks......lose either-..or-.. but Never-Ever.. wear them together unless your living in the "villages" with the other seniors double parking your golf cart. Great work on your videos man!
+Scott H lol that is why I swiched to clogs.
haha great work,.. and a fine Nordic choice on the clogs!!!!! Keep up the great work. Love the channel
Have you ever seen or heard of a bevel shooting board? I've only ever seen ones for miters. I was hoping to use a plane to clean up bevel cuts for a tight fit on a "waterfall" table and thought it might be a neat jig!
P.S. it was great to meet you at Skiatook!
thanks Randy! yes, they are commonly known as donkey ears. that is on my long list of things to make. I will have to come up with some project to make one for. Thanks again!
My dad just gave me one that looks like the black one you had. Hope to take it apart and clean it up soon.
Sweet! I love seeing a plane come back to life!
Hotrod Hog I got the old one too
Thank you so much for your suggestions on how to adjust the basic plane with the tap of a hammer. Just got a block plane to finish trimming some windows. I also noticed that when using the plane you seem to be holding it at a slight angle to the wood. Does that help you get a smoother cut? I've tried going straight on and it seems to get caught frequently that way.
turning it on an angle lowers the effective cutting angle and creates more of a slicing cut. so it makes it a bit easier to push but it can also increase the chance of tear otu on difficult woods.
Just wanted to see if anyone here had the same idea as me... I might try this one one of my spare no. 9.5 blades, but has anyone ever tried making an 80-90° bevel for their block plane blades?
I saw some of these low angle jack planes with 90° scraper blades, and I was wondering if the same thing can be accomplished for a block plane? Low angle is probably easier, but I was wondering if an 80° bevel blade for a standard 20° bed block plane would work? It would be wonderful to be able to turn a block plane into a scraper with a simple change of a blade!
You can modify that to work for one of the block planes The problem is with a really high angle like that you need a lot more force on it. And with a small item like a block plane you're really only using the middle of your palm to push. And that can be a lot of force needed in that one small area. With a big jack plane you have both the tote and knob and you can get your whole body into it a lot easier. It's not to say it wouldn't work it would just be a good bit more work than a simple card scraper.
nice, and mine always chokes up, there is about a half a millimeter of free space in the mouth with the blade in place. pretty useless, I cant get rid of shavings. --
feel free to send me pictures I would be glad to help.
Thanks I am new
+Kate Omalley any time Kate. If you ever have questions just ask
Great information ,can you tell me what plane you would recommend for planning down dovetails? Thanks and keep up the great videos.
if you are asking about smoothing the dovetails that stick past the edge I normally use my #4 smoothing plane. The block plane is a bit too small for that for me. I use this plane more then anything. ua-cam.com/video/iIBPj02UuNI/v-deo.html
Wood By Wright Thanks James.saved me from buying another plane.
glad I could help!
Nice tutorial brother c u 2morrow
Looking forward to it. Sorry I have not answered your call busy morning!
Can you let me know which one was the second block plane you reviewed?
Would like to se a 5 plane with the style of a block plane.
I just got a high angle from a flea market for $20 with only a tiny bit of rust
Nice! looking forward to what you do with it!
+Wood By Wright me too!
Just came across your video after buying my first Stanley 60 1/2. I'm struggling with the adjustments and I can't find good resources describing other than yours. Out of the box, the blade seemed to be angled to the left and indeed, when I close the mouth, the gap is tighter on the right than on the left. My rear nob is extending the blade in and out but I cant seem to get it to move laterally back to the right. Help?
if yours had a lateral lever sticking out the back then you can use that to move the iron side to side. but if it does not then you use a mallet to tap the iron to the side to do lateral adjustment.
Do you know what years Stanley made blue 9 and 1/2 block planes thanks in advance
This one I restored and painted blue. If I completely strip a tool down due to rust for my own use I've been painted by shop color.
As always thanx for the video QUESTION; I have a Stanley no 9 1/2 block plane that has a small chip on the backside of the mouth, would it b ok to file the opening even to square it off or is it better to leave it alone ???
On the back side. Just leave it alone. It won't hurt anything to have the chip other then the aesthetic
Great instruction, James. I presume that all 3 block planes are older and not currently manufactured?
+Steve Collins they are all older. But all three are still made today. You can still find the simple plane and the low angle version at most big box stores.
Any loss in quality?
most of the new ones the steel will not last as long but not bad. but on a block plane there in not much that can go wrong. I would feel just at home with a new one or one of these older ones the older ones I can just find for $5 or less ar garage sales and I like to restore them otherwise I could pick up the same model at the big box store and be just as happy.
Thanks.
Wood By Wright phew, I bought a new one to dress up some rough cut wood. It was work but it did what I needed in a rush. I needed to make an urn box basically overnight and I bought a new Stanley block plane. I definitely need a different plane but I got it done. Thanks
Thank you for a wonderful explanation of block planes. I just need to get some validation from you- would a 9.5 block plane work well with dovetails? I just purchased a Stanley 9.5 on eBay for under $30; looks to be in great condition. Do you think that plane will serve me well as a beginner dovetail maker? My 4.5 plane beat up the last drawers dovetails I made.
Thanks for any advice you may have!
Best,
Sonny
If you are talking about cleaning up the dovetails after they go together then it will do ok, my go to plane for that is #4 that is setup extreamyl tight. Close mouth, tight chipbreaker, and beyond sharp blade. The lower angle of the 9.5 will make it easer to push. Just make sure the mouth is tight.
Wood By Wright- Yes, I was. Thank you for commenting back. Can you recommend a #4?
Thanks!
Sonny
Sonny Pittman if you want new there's nothing under $150 that I would recommend. But picking up an old Stanley at an antique store and restoring it can be done for under 20 bucks
James Wright thank you!
So I just bought my first block planer at Lowe's. Really have no idea how to use it, and even less now that I have bought and looked at it. I bought it to square up cuts on edges, changed and take out any waros that would affect joinery. Nothing terribly ornate. So far I've tried adjusting it different ways, and I'm sure I'm just not getting something but it doesn't cut anything in any position. There's so many dials etc, I'm more confused than ever and will probably just return it and keep using lots and lots and lots of sandpaper. Any suggestions?
Feel free to send me an email and I'd be glad to talk it through with you and your particular model. But that being said if you got it from the big box store there's probably about a 70% chance that it's just a trash plane. there are not many plans sold there that are worth what you pay. but feel free to send me a message and I'd be glad to bounce it back and forth. I don't see replies here on UA-cam as too many come in I can't always keep track of them.
James: Have you discovered a way to plane at an exact angle? (I cannot find anything on the internet. Searching for 'angle' only gives you suggestions on the bevel angle) I am building something that has two different angles at the joint and need to plane to those angles. Sliding bevel gauge? Pencil lines (won't really work because the wood is so thin) Some blocks under the plane to lift up one edge? I am really baffled. Thanks.
Shooting board with the wood supported at an angle rather than flat.
@@Aubreykun Yes. But how? I have great difficulty cutting anything to an exact angle.
If you need it on the endgrain of a piece with the angle across on the narrow edges (such as for inlay or a picture frame):
1st. Figure out the angle(s) you need.
2nd. use a sliding bevel and/or protractor to mark the angle on the straight edge of a wide piece of board for the base (you can use the factory edge of a piece of plywood or mdf for this).
3rd. cut a relatively narrow board (2x2, 2x4, etc) slightly shorter than the width you need, and glue it to match the angle.
You can now butt other boards up to this and shoot them.
If you need to make it on the endgrain of a piece with the angle across the wide edges (such as using miter joints to hold a box together) it's a bit more complicated:
1st. Figure out the angle(s) you need, and use the prior instructions to make shooting board to that angle
2nd. find the dimensions for right triangle that makes this angle and is large enough to support the size of the panel you're doing, and make a template for it out of cardstock (or print one out).
3rd. mark this onto some mdf or plywood, it's easiest to use a factory corner or at least 1 factory edge
4rth cut just outside the marked line(s)
5th. shoot this angle on the angled shooting board
6th. repeat this for a 2nd (or more if the edge is very long) triangle
7th. Glue the triangles edge-down to a dead flat piece of plywood or MDF, square to the factory edge and parallel to each other, and with the angle you want to produce touching or very slightly overhanging the edge You can screw these in from the bottom if you want them to be a bit stronger once the glue is dried.
You now have a big jig to shoot the angle that is somewhat similar to a handplane's frog.
Another great video my friend... I do have a 12" thickness planer but what hand plane would be best to use on an end grain cutting board? As I'm actually going to be doing some in the near future...
Cheers...
I actually just finished shooting a video on making an end grain cutting board. I did it with a standard #4. it was hard to push and quickly dulled but it worked. If I had my hands on a Low angle Jack plane with a 25-degree blade I would have used that.
Great information. I need to shave a few doors due to new carpeting installed and do not feel comfortable using a circular saw and think I can do it using a block plane. I need to shave less than 1/2 inch. Do you recommend one model plan over another for this purpose?
+Effie Georgountzos not really for a block plane unless you want to spend around $100. Everything below that is about the same. But to take off that much you are probably better off with a #4. 1/2" is a lot of wood to remove with a block plane.
I know I'm kind of late to the party here, but I'd probably try to remove the majority of waste wood on the door with a hand saw, then final shaping and smoothing with plane.
Nice video again!
What are the wooden alternatives to these planes?
I have one like yours waiting for a restore one day.
A spoke shave or smoothing plane would be the equivalent. but it depends on the use you are planning on.
German company ECE makes a sweet block plane
Is that hammer handle made of pastry?
Lol just the fun of carving.
Which number was the second plane? I thought it was a 9 1/2?
I have a #5 smooth bottom Jack plane that I restored. My problem is, I can't get the blade to come thru the bottom so it will cut. Any ideas? I keep thinking I have the wrong size blade.
sounds like the wrong sized chip breaker. the chip breaker on top of the blade is what determines how far the iron moves. the yoke lever sticks through the iron and connects with he rectangular slot on the chip breaker.
I fully understand that part. I am 71 and was raised using these hand tools.
I just know there is something wrong with my setup.
Thank You
Jack Moler
just bought 2 block planes. what handplane or smoothing plane should I buy for general use, a #4?
A #4 or a #5 will do you good. if you are getting it more for something then a #4 is better, if you are going to be doing more flattening than a #5 will treat you the best.
Dude your awesome. Just picked up a Winchester 3205 hand plane. It is actually a Sargent 409 rebranded. It was made after WWI and you can tell the quality is better. I am interested in transitional planes, mainly a joiner plane. What is your experience and opinion. A Stanley #7 with the corrugated bottom would do but a #33 Stanley is far more interesting to me. Is wood on wood a better feel or is that user preference?
for the user experience, it completely depends on taste. most people like the feel of a wood sole, but some people prefer the heft and lower center of gravity on a metal plane. so it is completely up to taste. I personally, prefer the wooden sole but I use metal planes as that is what most people have available.
Should the iron grind on a low angle plane be 25° primary with a 30° micro? Thanks for the video.
that is complexly up to you. mine are all ground at about 25. I do not mess with eh micro. just an extra step that is not needed. if you ask 10 woodworkers you will get 11 answers.
How do I set up my block plane
I have a whole nother video on that where I show several different types of clock plans and how to set them up. I believe the video is called all about block planes.
His knob broke off !
You're using the plane at a diagonal? ?
yup if you turn it slightly you get a slicing action and it lowers the effective cutting angle of the iron.
Great video.. but you said the block plane is made for one hand use, then when you use it you used both hands lol good knowledge though
I just bought a cheap block plane from Wickes to plane an interior door.. What a waste of a tenner....with every stroke forward I have to knock the blade forward again..
+Jaxx Style oh that sounds like a great door stop. Lol
Wood By Wright
Ikr most expensive door stop I've ever bought lol..
couldn't help but notice you used two hands when demonstrating these planes after mentioning that they are "one-hand" planes.
+Gary Livesey lol yup.
@gary livesey you look like Robert Deniro
@@Loo0ch I don't know, I would say he looks more like Gary Livesey
@@gunnison3681 no... I said Robert Deniro... You seen what I wrote
how to disassemble and reassemble the kobalt block plane
Which one. They made a lot of them over the years. Most are fairly similarly to these.